Refrigerating machine



March 20, 1962 R. s. MQLAIN ETAL 3,025,684

REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSZROBERT 8. M -LMN and J'AQK 8. M9- LANE- ATTORNEYS March 20, 1962 R. s. MLAlN ETAL 3,02

REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT S. MLAm and J'AQK SM LANE BYntv #W ATTORNEYS INVENTORS.

March 20, 1962 R. s. McLAlN ETAL 3,025,684

REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 8 5!INVENTORSI F 9: ROBERT S. MQLNN and IAQK S. -LANE.

QQZMMAM+W ATTORNEYS This invention relates to refrigeration apparatusand is particularly concerned with room air conditioners.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved refrigeratingapparatus of efficient, compact, economical and balanced constructionticularly adapted for use as a room air conditioning unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an air conditioningapparatus of the character described which comprises a rotary condenser,a rotary evaporator, a compressor and a driving motor, all of which arecoaxially arranged, and wherein the evaporator and the condenser areeach in the form of two parallel, spirally wound coil sections providedwith respective blowers, air circulating means or fans which rotate inunison with the evaporator and condenser.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a refrigeratingapparatus or air conditioner of the character described wherein thedrive motor is spaced between the evaporator and the condenser and therefrigerant is carried between the condenser, the evaporator and thecompressor through channels or passageways provided in the shaft orrotary core of the drive motor.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus ofthe character described wherein the evaporator and condenser eachcomprises a spirally wound coil supported by a rotary fan, which coilscommunicate with a housing of the compressor, and wherein said housingrotates while the pump element of the compressor remains stationary,thus eliminating the major cause of vibration present in prior types ofmechanical refrigerating devices.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is an isometric viewlooking at the front, right-hand side and top of the improved airconditioning unit prior to installation thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view looking at the rear, right-hand side andtop of the air conditioning unit shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a reduced vertical sectional view through a typical windowconstruction of a building showing the improved air conditioning unitmounted therein;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 inFIGURE 1, with portions broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view through the compressor takensubstantially along line 5-5 in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view through the drive motor core orshaft taken substantially along line 6-6 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken substantially alongline 77 in FIGURE 3, but showing the condenser, compressor, evaporatorand the rotor or armature of the drive motor in elevation;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the fluid flow controlapparatus shown in the central lefthand portion of FIGURE 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the novel refrigerationapparatus comprises a main casing or evaporator casing 20, a tubularmotor casing 21, and a condenser casing 22. Evaporator casing 20 ispreferably of substantially rectangular or cubicle shape and thecondenser casing 22 is preferably of volute shape. Casing 20 Patent 0and which is parcomprises top and bottom walls 23, 24, front and rearwalls 25, 26 and opposed side walls 30, 31, all of which are suitablyinterconnected and which enclose a frame 27 (FIGURE 4). Front Wall 25 ispreferably foraminated or provided with suitable screens or louvresindicated at 32, 33. Right-hand and left-hand side walls 30, 21 are eachprovided with suitable filters or filtered openings 34, 35.

Rear wall 26 of evaporator casing 20 may be provided with a suitablerearwardly projecting frame 36 to assist in mounting the airconditioning unit in a window as shown in FIGURE 3. It will be notedthat, as is usual, the building structure shown in FIGURE 3 includes asill or stool portion 37 on which the lower wall 24 of main casing 20may rest. The upper portion of frame 36 may be engaged by one of thesashes 40 of the Window construction shown in FIGURE 3. Suitable spacingmembers, not shown, may be provided between opposed side walls of thewindow frame 41 and the side portions of the frame 36.

Motor casing 21 is provided with a flange 45 which fits in an opening 46(FIGURES 4 and 7) formed in rear wall 26 of evaporator casing 20. Flange45 may be secured in opening 46 by screws 47 threaded into the rearportion of frame 27. Thus, tubular motor casing 21 communicates withevaporator casing 20.

As best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 7, inturned foot portions 54) of asubstantially U-shaped bracket 51 are suitably secured to the outer orrear surface of flange 45, as by screws 52. The inturned portions 50 areformed integral with respective leg portions 53 of bracket 51, the rearends of leg portions 53 being interconnected by a lateral or web portion54.

Condenser casing 22 includes an outer substantially circular or volutewall 56, substantially diametrically opposed portions of which aresuitably secured to leg portions 53 of bracket 51. Wall 56 along withend walls 60, 61 and an inner wall 62 forms an air circulation chamber63 within which extend vanes 65 of a squirrelcage radial-flow airimpeller or centrifugal fan 66.

Inner wall 62 is annular and substantially concentric with impeller 66so that rotation of impeller 66 causes air to fiow inwardly at the frontand rear portions of condenser casing 22 and the air flows throughchamber 63 and is exhausted through an air outlet 67 on condenser casing22. In so doing, the air is drawn through front and rear foraminatedshields or screens 70, 71 and between front and rear convolutedsections" 72, 73 of a condenser coil generally designated at 75.Condenser coil sections 72, 73 are each spirally arranged tubularportions and are interconnected by a tubular portion 76 extendingthrough impeller 66.

In addition to vanes 65, impeller 66 comprises annular vane-supportingrings 80, S1 and a centrally located disk 83. Disk 83 is provided with ahub 84 fixed on a main shaft or motor core 85. Annular rings 80, 81 haverespective pairs of radial spokes or bars 86, 87 connected thereto,whose inner ends are connected to hub 84.

Spokes 86, 87 are provided with outwardly projecting tabs or spacerelements 90, 91 for supporting respective convolutions of said sections72, 73 of the condenser coil 75. Opposed ends of condenser coil aresuitably connected to the rear portion of shaft for communication withrespective offset axial channels or passageways a, b extendinglongitudinally of shaft 85. Passageway a serves as communicative meansbetween one end of condenser coil 75 and the outlet of a compressor inhousing 117, and passageway b serves, in part, as communicative meansbetween corresponding ends of condenser coil 75 and an evaporator coil115, as will be later described.

Now, referring to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that rear screen 71 may besuitably secured to rear wall 61 of condenser casing 22 by means of anannular ring 93 and screws 94. The central portion of screen 71 isprovided with an opening 95 to accommodate an enlarged hub portion 96 onthe rearmost end of core shaft 85. The central portion of the rearscreen 71 is provided with an annular reinforcing ring 100 suitablyconnected thereto. Ring 100 may be fixed to the web portion 54 ofbracket 51 by means of angle clips 101. I Said enlarged portion 96 ofcore shaft 85 is mounted on the outer race of a ball bearing 102 whoseinner race is fixed on the reduced front or inner portion of anexternally threaded sleeve 103. Sleeve 103 loosely penetrates webportion 54 of bracket 51 and is secured therein by means of a pair oflock nuts 104. It is thus seen that sleeve 103 rotatably supports therear end of core shaft 85.

The front screen 70 encircles the tubular motor casing 21 and issuitably secured to a rear flange 105 of motor casing 21 by means of aring 106 and screws 107. The outer portion of front screen '70 may beattached to wall 60 of condenser casing 22 by a ring 108 and screws 109.

The motor within motor casing 21 comprises field coils or a stator 110,suitably secured to the inner wall of the tubular casing 21. stator 110and is fixed on a medial portion of the motor shaft or core 85 so thatenergization of stator 110 rotates rotor 111 to impart rotation to themotor or core shaft 85, impeller 66 and condenser coil 75. This alsoimparts A rotor 111 rotates within 1 rotation to an evaporator coil 115,an axial-flow air im-' peller or fan 116, and a housing or casing member117 of a compressor or pump to be later described.

It will be noted that casing 117 is carried by shaft 85, a flange 120 onthe front end of shaft 85 serving as the rear wall of compressor casing117. A partition 121 within pump casing or compressor casing 117 servesas a front wall to the compressor and a stationary pump element or cam122 is disposed between and preferably engages the proximal surfaces offlange or wall 120 and wall 121.

Cam 122 is fixed on a stationary shaft 123 which loosely extends axiallythrough a central bore g in tubular core shaft 85, and whose rearmostend is fixed in sleeve 103. The other end of shaft 123 is journaled, asby an anti-friction bearing 124, in the central portion of partition121, thus concentrically supporting cam 122 while shaft 85 and casing117 rotate about shaft 123 and cam 122.

It will be noted that passageway a extends from one end of condensercoil 75, through a portion of shaft 85, through wall or flange 120 andthence through the composite annular wall 126 of pump casing 117, whereit is formed as an outlet 127 communicating with a compressor chamber orpump chamber defined between walls 120, 121 and the circular innersurface of wall 126.

Referring to FIGURE 5, cam 122 of the compressor or pump has anirregular peripheral surface shown as being oval-shaped, and itsperiphery is engaged by a pair of circularly spaced, spring-loadedreciprocating vanes or bafiie plates 130, 131 mounted for substantiallyradial movement in respective slots or cavities 132, 133 formed in thewall 126 of compressor casing 117. Vanes 130, 131 are of substantiallythe same width as the width of the pump chamber between walls 120, 121.Vanes 130, 131 are urged against the periphery of cam 122 by respectivecompression springs 134, 135. Thus, vanes 130, 131 rotate withcompressor casing 117 and relative to cam 122.

Since inlet 136 and outlet 127 are disposed within the plane of an arcformed of said inner surface of the casing 117 and which are terminatesat said vanes 130, 131, fluid is compressed by vane 131 and caused toflow through outlet 127 into channel or passageway a, thus formingcommunicative means between the compressor and one end of condenser coil75. Conversely, vane 131 produces negative pressure between thecorresponding peripheral surface of earn 122 and the inner surface ofwall 126 to draw fluid inwardly through an inlet '136. This occurs twicewith each revolution of compressor casing 117. Inlet 136 is formed inthe inner surface of wall 126 and communicates with a channel orpassageway 0 extending parallel to the axis of housing 117 and withinthe composite wall 126. Passageway c communicates with one end ofevaporator coil 115, said end of evaporator coil being suitably attachedto casing 117. Thus, channel 0 serves as communicative means between oneend of evaporator coil 115 and the compressor inlet 136.

Evaporator coil 115 also comprises two parallel coil sections 140, 141,each of which includes a plurality of spirally arranged convolutionswhich are interconnected by a pipe or tube section 142. The inner orrear evaporator coil section 140 is mounted in circularly arranged fins143 which are arranged in alternation with radial blades 144 of thepropeller type fan 116 (FIGURES 4 and 7). The inner ends of blades 144are attached to a rounded hub member or nose cone 145, and they are alsoattached, along with fins 143, to the wall 126 of pump casing 117. Coilsection 1 41 is mounted in fan blades 144.

It will be noted that pump casing 117 includes a front wall (FIGURE 4)146 to which nose cone 145 is suitably connected, as by welding. Wall146 with walls 121, 12 6 forms a reservoir R within which a fluidcontrol or eX- pansion valve 150 is positioned. Valve 150 comprises aclosed housing having an inner or bottom wall 151, and a side wall 152.This housing is also defined by corresponding portions of front wall 146and side or annular wall 126 of compressor housing 117 (FIGURES 4 and8).

Wall 152 of valve 150 is provided with a port d which is, at times,closed by a valve member 153 movably mounted within the housing of valve150*. Valve memher 153 is in the form of a disk or plate and is alsoprovided with a passageway e therethrough, through which fluid may flowwhen port a is open. Thus, the fluid, which is then in liquid form, mayflow outwardly through a passageway 7 provided in composite wall 126 ofhousing or casing 117, from whence the fluid flows into the other end ofevaporator coil 115, this end being opposite from that end whichcommunicates with passageway 0.

Here again, the end of evaporator coil 115 which communicates withpassageway f is suitably attached to wall 126 of compressor casing 117.Valve member 153 is normally urged to closed position by any suitablemeans, such as a compression. spring 155, one end of which engages valvemember 153. The other side of valve member 153 engages one end of abellows 156 which is in sealing engagement with the corresponding sideof valve member 153, and which is also in sealing engagement with theinner wall 151 of valve assembly 150.

Communicating with the interior of bellows 156 is a conduit or tube 157which is connected to wall 151 of valve assembly 150 and extendsoutwardly, in the form of a capillary tube, through wall 126 ofcompressor casing 117. The outer end of conduit 157 has a suitablethermal reactive element thereon for varying the pressure on a highlyexpansive gas or fluid which will expand and contract under relativelyslight temperature changes. In this instance, the conduit 157 isconnected to a suitable temperature-responsive control bulb of wellknown construction.

It is thus seen that, when the ambient or room temperature exceeds apredetermined point, the gas or fluid in conduit 157 and bellows 151expands so that bellows 156 may open valve member 153. Thus, refrigerantflows from reservoir R into coil 137 when room temperature is relativelyhigh. Conversely, when the ambient or room temperature decreases to acertain predetermined point, the pressure of the fluid in bulb 160,conduit 157 and bellows 156 decreases so that spring then overcomes thepressure in bellows 156, to move valve member 153 to closed positionover port d.

Since the rear end of shaft 85 is the only point thus far describedwhich is rotatably supported, it will be observed in FIGURES 4 and 7that front wall 146 of compressor casing 117 has a shaft 165 suitablysecured thereto and projecting outwardly or forwardly in axial alinementwith core shaft 85. The front end of shaft 165 is journaled in a bearing167, which bearing is shown in the form of an anti-friction bearing, andis mounted in the front portion of frame 27.

Since evaporator casing 20 is substantially rectangular in construction,a partition 170 (FIGURE 7) may be provided adjacent the rear surface ofimpeller 116 and extending between walls 23, 24, 3t), 31. Partition 170may have an opening 171 therein of substantially the same diameter asimpeller 116 for passage of the air therethrough.

It will be noted that the passageway b in core shaft 85 extendsoutwardly in the fiange portion 12 1i of shaft 85 and then within wall126 Where it forms an inlet 172 communicating with reservoir R.

In operation, it is to be assumed that reservoir R is filled with asuitable liquid refrigerant, such as ammonia, sulfur-dioxide, Freon orthe like. As a matter of fact, the entire system, including theevaporator, condenser and pump, contains a suitable refrigerant. Stator110 within motor casing 21 is then energized to drive rotor 111, coreshaft 85, compressor casing 117, the fans 116, 66 and coils 115, 75. Therefrigerant then enters the pump chamber, between walls 120, 121 frompassageway through inlet 136, the refrigerant then being in the form ofa vapor or hot gas. As casing 117 rotates about cam 122, the vapor iscompressed as vane 130 causes the gas to flow through outlet 127 andpassageway a into the condenser coil 75. The flow of air past theconvolutions in the two sections 72, 73 of condenser coil 75 absorbsheat from the condenser coils, and rotation of the fan or blower 66carries the heated air into chamber 63 to exhause the same exteriorly ofthe building through outlet 67 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Thus, therefrigerant vapor is cooled and condenses into a liquid prior to itsentering passageway b from condenser coil 75.

The liquid refrigerant continues through passageway b and passes throughinlet 172 into reservoir R where it remains under pressure. As has beenexplained heretofore, when the room temperatuare or ambient temperatureis above a predetermined point, valve member 153 (FIGURE 8) is raised ormoved outwardly to open port d. Port d is relatively small so thecompressor of FIG- URE pumps faster than the refrigerant can flowthrough port d. It is apparent that the relatively small size of port dcauses the refrigerant to enter section 141 of evaporator coil 115 atrelatively low pressure so that it is free to boil under the influenceof the higher room temperature, thus removing heat from the room andultimately converting the liquid refrigerant into a gas or vapor as itleaves section 140 of evaporator coil 115 and again passes throughpassageway c and inlet 136 into said pump chamber, to complete a cyclein the operation.

In order that the refrigerant may not leak into the central bore orchamber g through which shaft 123 extends from compressor chamber C, asuitable seal 175 may be provided between shaft 123 and the wall of boreg adjacent the compressor chamber defined between walls 120, 121. Also,since the moisture in the surrounding air in the room condensates as theair flows through coil 115 under the impetus of rotating fan 116, suchmoisture may collect on the bottom wall 24 of evaporator casing 20 andmay be evacuated from evaporator casing 20 through a pipe 176. As shownin FIGURE 3, pipe 176 may extend rearwardly from the rear wall 26 ofevaporator casing 2i? and extend outwardly of the window frame 41.

It is thus seen that we have provided a novel and efficient airconditioning unit of light Weight construction in which the condenser75, evaporator 115, motor 21 and compressor 117 are arranged in axialrelationship, and wherein a novel compressor is provided and so arrangedthat all passageways between the pump and the coils of the evaporatorand condenser may extend through the shaft of the electric motor and thepump element 122 remains stationary so the entire unit is substantiallyfree from vibration.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

We claim:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and having an irregular peripheral surfaceengaging at least a portion of said inner surface, said pump elementalso being partially spaced from said inner surface, at least one vaneyieldably engaging said pump element and carried by said casing, firstcommunicative means between corresponding ends of said coils, a secondcommunicative means between the other end of said condenser coil and theoutlet of said pump chamber, and a third communicative means between theother end of said evaporator coil and the inlet of said pump chamber.

2. In a refrigerating system, a rotary condenser, a rotary evaporatorand a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, said condenser andevaporator comprising respective substantially flat spirally woundcondenser and evaporator coils, a rotary fan supporting at least one ofsaid coils, said compressor comprising a compressor casing rotating withand on the same axis as said coils, said casing having a pump chambertherein provided with a circular surface and having an inlet and anoutlet therein, a stationary pump element within said chamber andengaging at least a portion of said surface, said element also beingpartially spaced from said surface, at least one vane movable betweensaid pump element and said casing, first communicative means betweencorresponding ends of said coils, second communicative means between theother end of the condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, andthird communicative means between the other end of said evaporator coiland the inlet of said pump chamber.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor aranged in coaxial relationship, a motorbetween said condenser and said evaporator, a shaft extending from saidmotor, said condenser and evaporator comprising respective spirallywound condenser and evaporator coils, said condenser coil being mountedon smd shaft and a separate rotary fan for each coil; the combination ofsaid compressor comprising a compressor casing fixed on said shit androtating with and on the same axis as said coils, said casing having apump chamber therein provided with a circular inner surface, astationary cam within said chamber and having its periphery engaging atleast a portion of said surface, the periphery of said cam beingpartially spaced from said surface, at least one vane t yieldablyengaging the periphery of said cam and carried by said casing, saidshaft having a first channel therein forming first communicative meansbetween corresponding ends of said coils, said shaft having a secondchannel therein forming second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, and a thirdcommunicative means between the other of said said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber.

4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, an electricmotor, a shaft extending from the motor, a compressor comprising acasing carried by and rotatable with said shaft, an irregularly-shapedstationary cam in said casing and having at least a portion thereofengaging the; inner surface of said casing and another portion thereofspaced from said casing, at least one vane yieldably supported by saidcasing and engaging the periphery of saidcam, a combination fan andtubular evaporator coil mounted on said casing, a combination fan andtubular condenser coil mounted on said shaft and spaced from saidcombination fan and evaporator coil, said shaft having at least twolongitudinal passageways therein, one of said passageways serving ascommunicative means between corresponding ends of said evaporator andcondenser coils, the other of saidpassageways serving as communicativemeans between the outlet side of the compressor and the other end of thecondenser coil, and said casing also having a passageway therein servingas communicative means between the inlet side of the compressor and theother end of the evaporator coil.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, an evaporator casing, a condensercasing spaced rearwardly from the evaporator casing, a motor casingfixed between said evaporator and condenser casings, an electric motorin said motor casing, a tubular shaft extending from front and rear endsof said motor, a compressor casing having a circular inner surfacedefining a pump chamber therein and being mounted on a front portion ofsaid shaft, a fan mounted on said compressor casing, a spirally woundevaporator coil carried by said fan and disposed within said evaporatorcasing, means supporting said compressor casing and the shaft forrotation within said evaporator, motor and condenser casings, acondenser coil in said condenser casing and being carried by saidtubular shaft, a stationary cam shaft mounted within and extendinglongitudinally of said tubular shaft, means fixedly supporting said camshaft independently of said tubular shaft, a cam fixed on the front endof said cam shaft and disposed within said pump chamber, said cam beingsubstantially ovalshaped, the inner surface of said pump chamber havinga diameter substantially the same as the larger diameter of saidoval-shaped cam, at least one vane carried by said compressor csing andyieldably engaging the periphery of said cam, said inner surface of thecompressor, casing being provided with an inlet and an outlet, saidtubular shaft having a pair of longitudinally extending first and secondpassageways therein, said first passageway communicatively connectingone end of said condenser coil with said outlet, said second passagewaycommunicatively connecting the other end of said condenser coil with oneend of said evaporator coil, and said compressor casing having a thirdpassageway therein establishing communication between the other end ofthe evaporator coil and said inlet.

6. A structure according to claim including an expansion valveinterposed between said one end of the evaporator coil and said secondpassageway.

7.'A structure according to claim 5 having a radialflow fan mounted onsaid tubular shaft adjacent said condenser coil, and said condenser coilcomprising two interconnected, spirally wound coil sections straddlingopposed ends of the radial-flow fan.

8. A structure according to claim 5 in which said fan is an axial-flowpropeller having radially extending blades, said evaporator coilincluding two parallel, intercommunicating coil sections, a plurality ofradial fins spaced between and projecting rearwardly of said blades, oneof said coil sections being mounted in said blades, and the other ofsaid coil sections being mounted in said fins.

9. A structure according to claim 5 in which said compressor casing isprovided with a reservoir for containing a refrigerant therein and saidsecond passageway com- 8 municates with said one end of the evaporatorcoil through the medium of said reservoir.

10. A structure according to claim 5 in which said pump chamber isprovided with at least one additional vane therein, said additional vanebeing carried by said compressor casing and yieldably engaging theperiphery of said cam in substantial circularly spaced relation fromsaid first-mentioned vane, said outlet and said inlet being positionedwithin the plane of an are formed of said inner surface in which saidare terminates at the two vanes.

11. A structure according to claim 5 in which said fan carrying theevaporator coil is in the form of a plurality of circularly arrangedradially extending propeller blades, a fan supporting said condensercoil and being in the form of a squirrel cage fan, said condenser casingbeing in the form of a volute casing, said squirrel cage fan havingcircularly arranged blades projecting into said condenser casing, andsaid condenser casing having an outlet thereon whereby the squirrel cagefan draws air inwardly past said condenser coil and causes the air toflow through said volute condenser casing to be discharged through saidcondenser casing outlet.

12. A structure according to claim 11 in which said condenser coilcomprises two axially opposed coil sections mounted on opposed sides ofsaid squirrel cage fan.

13. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and engaging at least a portion of saidsurface, said pump element also being partially spaced from saidsurface, at least one vane yieldably engaging said pump element andcarried by said casing, first communicative means between correspondingends of said coils, a second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, a thirdcommunicative means between the other end of said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber, a rotary shaft on which said compressorcasing and said coils are mounted, said air moving means for thecondenser coil comprising a centrifugalflow fan mounted on said shaftadjacent said condenser coil, and said condenser coil comprising twointerconnected, spirally wound coil sections straddling axially opposedends of said centrifugal-flow fan.

14. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and engaging at least a portion of saidsurface, said pump element also being partially spaced from saidsurface, at least one vane yieldably engaging said pump element andcarried by. said casing, first communicative means between correspondingends of said coils, a second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and theoutlet of said pump chamber, a thirdcommunicative means between the other end of said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber, said pump chamber having at least oneadditional vane therein, said additional vane being carried by saidcompressor casing and yieldably engaging said pump element insubstantialcircularly spaced relationship from said first-mentioned vane, and saidoutlet and said inlet being positioned within the plane of an are formedof said circular surface, which are terminates at the two vanes.

15. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and engaging at least a portion of saidsurface, said pump element also being partially spaced from saidsurface, at least one vane yieldably engaging said pump element andcarried by said casing, first communicative means between correspondingends of said coils, a second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, a thirdcommunicative means between the other end of said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber, said air moving means for said coilscomprising a first fan supporting the evaporator coil and being in theform of a plurality of circularly arranged radially extending propellerblades, a second fan supporting said condenser coil and being in theform of a squirrel cage fan, a volute condenser casing, said squirrelcage fan having circularly arranged blades projecting into saidcondenser casing, and said condenser casing having an air outlet thereonwhereby the squirrel cage fan draws air inwardly past said condensercoil and causes the air to flow through said volute condenser casing tobe discharged through the outlet of said condenser casing.

16. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and engaging at least a portion of saidsurface, said pump element also being partially spaced from saidsurface, at least one vane yieldably engaging said pump element andcarried by said casing, first communicative means between correspondingends of said coils, a second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, a thirdcommunicative means between the other end of said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber, said compressor casing having areservoir for containing a refrigerant therein, and said reservoir beinginterposed between said first communicative means and the correspondingend of said evaporator coil.

17. A structure according to claim 16, including an expansion valvewithin said reservoir and also being inposed between said firstcommunicative means and the corresponding end of said evaporator coil.

18. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a rotary condenser, a rotaryevaporator and a compressor arranged in coaxial relationship, saidcondenser and evaporator comprising respective condenser and evaporatorcoils, means for moving air past each coil, said compressor comprising acompressor casing rotating with and on the same axis as said coils, saidcasing having a pump chamber therein provided with a circular innersurface and having an inlet and an outlet therein, a stationary pumpelement within said chamber and engaging at least a portion of saidsurface, said pump element also being partially spaced from saidsurface, at least one vane yieldably engaging said pump element andcarried by said casing, first communicative means between correspondingends of said coils, a second communicative means between the other endof said condenser coil and the outlet of said pump chamber, a thirdcommunicative means between the other end of said evaporator coil andthe inlet of said pump chamber, a rotary shaft on which said condensercoil and said compressor casing are mounted, said evaporator coilincluding two parallel, spirally wound, intercommunicating coilsections, an axial-flow fan comprising a plurality of substantiallyradially extending blades connected to said compressor casing, and atleast one of said coil sections being attached to said blades.

19. A structure according to claim 18 wherein said fan also comprises aplurality of substantially radially projecting fins spaced betweencertain of said blades and projecting rearwardly of said blades, and theother of said coil sections being mounted in said fins.

20. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a fixed motor casing, a motorin said casing, said motor comprising a stator and a rotor rotatable insaid stator, a tubular shaft extending from front and rear ends of saidrotor, a compressor casing member having a substantially circular innersurface defining a pump chamber therein and being carried by a frontportion of said shaft for rotation therewith, an evaporator coil alsocarried by said front portion of said shaft, a condenser coil carried bya rear portion of said shaft, means for moving air past said coils,means supporting said compressor casing and said shaft for rotationrelative to said stator and said motor casing, a stationary shaftdisposed within and extending longitudinally of said tubular shaft,means fixedly supporting said stationary shaft independently of saidtubular shaft, a stationary pump member fixedly connected to saidstationary shaft and disposed within said pump chamber and engaging atleast a portion of said surface, said pump member also being partiallyspaced from said surface, at least one reciprocating vane mounted on oneof said members and engaging the other of said members, firstcommunicative means between corresponding ends of said coils, secondcommunicative means between the other end of said condenser coil and theoutlet of said pump chamber, and third communicative means between theother end of said evaporator coil and the inlet of said pump chamber.

21. A condenser unit and an evaporator unit for use in a refrigeratingapparatus having a compressor, at least one of said units comprising acentrifugal-flow fan including a rotary squirrel-cage impeller, and atubular coil comprising a pair of interconnected spirally wound coilsections straddling and carried by axially opposed ends of saidimpeller.

22. An evaporator for use in a refrigerating apparatus having acompressor and a condenser, said evaporator comprising an axial-flow fanincluding a plurality of substantially radially extending blades and aplurality of substantially radially extending fins spaced betweencertain of said blades and projecting rearwardly thereof with respect tothe direction of flow of air effected by the blades, means supportingthe inner ends of said blades and said fins for rotation therewith, andan evaporator coil including two substantially parallel, spirally woundand intercommunicating coil sections, one of said coil sections beingattached to said blades and the other of said coil sections beingattached to said fins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,315,282 Carpenter Sept. 9, 1919 1,446,727 Smith Feb. 27, 19232,111,750 Carlson a Mar. 22, 1938 2,229,500 Goldsmith I an. 21, 19412,522,781 Exner Sept. 19, 1950 2,609,672 Wales Sept. 9, 1952 2,805,558Knight Sept. 10, 1957 2,811,841 Grimshaw Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS495,539 Germany Apr. 8, 1930

